DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) was/were submitted on 1/12/24. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim(s) 1 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,457 (hereinafter Patent). Although the claim(s) at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claim(s) of the instant application is/are a broader variation of the claim(s) of the Patent.
Claim(s) 2 and 10 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of Patent in view of US 20200229007 by Jung et al. (hereinafter Jung) (IDS filed 1/12/24).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, for similar reasoning below in the rejection of claim 2, Patent in view of Jung teaches claims 2 and 10.
Claim(s) 3 and 15 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of Patent in view of US 20180332652 by Kim et al. (hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, for similar reasoning below in the rejection of claims 3 and 15, Patent in view of Kim teaches claims 3 and 15.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of Patent in view of US 20180054237 by Tseng et al. (hereinafter Tseng) (IDS filed 1/12/24).
Regarding claim 11, for similar reasoning below in the rejection of claim 11, Patent in view of Tseng teaches claim 11.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of Patent in view of US 20240237121 by Liang et al. (hereinafter Liang).
Regarding claim 13, for similar reasoning below in the rejection of claim 13, Patent in view of Liang teaches claim 13.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of Patent in view of US 20200145867 by Tseng et al. (hereinafter Cheng).
Regarding claim 16, Patent teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 and the unicast sidelink wireless connection is established. However, Patent does not explicitly disclose at least a channel busy ratio of a channel on which the unicast sidelink wireless connection is established. Cheng in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches a characteristic of a sidelink wireless connection including at least a channel busy ratio of a channel on which the sidelink wireless connection is established (¶ 50, UE may need to measure the CBR of the corresponding (target) SL-resource pools in one (or more than one) sidelink component carrier. To measure the SL-resource pools, the UE may monitor a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) and/or a Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH) on (at least) one sidelink component carrier during a specific (e.g., predefined) time period. The CBR measured in a subframe n, as shown in Table 1 below, may be calculated based on a threshold identified by monitoring a time period (e.g., the last subframes [n-100, n-1]) in one or more sidelink component carriers; ¶ 63, UE 110 is delivering a sidelink measurement report (e.g., a CBR report) to the UE 120 via an established channel (e.g., a PC5 interface) between the UE 110 and the UE 120; ¶ 3, A UE may exchange sidelink packets with other UEs through a configured interface (e.g., a PC5 interface)). By modifying Patent’s teachings of measure a plurality of characteristics of the unicast sidelink wireless connection and the unicast sidelink wireless connection with Cheng’s teachings of a characteristic of a sidelink wireless connection including at least a channel busy ratio of a channel on which the sidelink wireless connection is established, the modification results in measure a plurality of characteristics of the unicast sidelink wireless connection, including at least a channel busy ratio of a channel on which the unicast sidelink wireless connection is established.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Patent with Cheng’s above teachings. The motivation is helping to adjust sidelink transmission parameters in a more robust way (Cheng ¶ 61).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim(s) 1 and 7 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,457 (hereinafter Patent). Although the claim(s) at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claim(s) of the instant application is/are a broader variation of the claim(s) of the Patent. It is noted that a radio of claim 7 of Patent includes at least one antenna.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 7 of Patent in view of US 20200229007 by Jung et al. (hereinafter Jung) (IDS filed 1/12/24).
Regarding claim 18, for similar reasoning below in the rejection of claim 18, Patent in view of Jung teaches claim 18.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 17 of Patent in view of US 20180054237 by Tseng et al. (hereinafter Tseng) (IDS filed 1/12/24).
Regarding claim 19, for similar reasoning below in the rejection of claim 19, Patent in view of Tseng teaches claim 19.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim(s) 1-2 and 7 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,457 (hereinafter Patent). Although the claim(s) at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claim(s) of the instant application is/are a broader variation of the claim(s) of the Patent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 9-10, 15, and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200229007 by Jung et al. (hereinafter Jung) (IDS filed 1/12/24) in view of US 20180332652 by Kim et al. (hereinafter Kim) and in further view of US 20160057795 by Kim et al. (hereinafter Chang).
Regarding claim 17, Jung teaches a wireless device (fig. 10; ¶ 388, FIG. 10 illustrates a configuration of a UE; ¶ 158, UE may be the vehicle terminal; ¶ 141, to establish a UE-UE unicast link, a vehicle terminal…may perform a discovery procedure with a different vehicle terminal; fig. 7, shows vehicle terminal 702), comprising:
at least one antenna (¶ 391, Although FIG. 10 shows only one antenna, the UE may include a plurality of antennas);
at least one processor in communication with the at least one antenna and configured to cause the wireless device to (¶ 396, controller 1040 may include a multi-connection processor 1042 and may control overall operations of the UE…the controller 1040 may transmit and receive signals through the baseband processor 1020 and the RF processor 1010; ¶ 390, the RF processor 1010 may upconvert a baseband signal, provided from the baseband processor 1020, into an RF band signal to transmit the RF band signal through an antenna and may downconvert an RF band signal, received through the antenna, into a baseband signal; fig. 7, shows vehicle terminal 702):
establish a unicast sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device (fig. 7; ¶ 239, the vehicle terminal 701 may perform an upper-layer connection establishment procedure and/or an AS-layer connection establishment procedure in order to establish a UE-UE sidelink connection with the different vehicle terminal 702 in operation 710. The UE-UE sidelink connection may be established according to the foregoing embodiment; ¶ 21, FIG. 7 illustrates radio link monitoring (RLM)-based sidelink management when NR V2X SL unicast communication between terminals is performed);
an indication that the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device has been released at an upper layer (¶ 286, NAS layer may generate a PC5 signaling message; ¶ 293, a DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE message, which is the PC5 signaling message, to the vehicle terminal 701, thereby performing a direct link release procedure. The DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE message may include a reason for releasing the UE-UE sidelink (e.g., a cause value indicating that the sidelink cannot be maintained any longer due to the RLF); ¶ 239, the vehicle terminal 701 may perform an upper-layer connection establishment procedure and/or an AS-layer connection establishment procedure in order to establish a UE-UE sidelink connection with the different vehicle terminal 702 in operation 710);
and release the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on the indication from the upper layer (¶ 286, NAS layer may generate a PC5 signaling message; ¶ 293, a DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE message, which is the PC5 signaling message, to the vehicle terminal 701, thereby performing a direct link release procedure. The DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE message may include a reason for releasing the UE-UE sidelink (e.g., a cause value indicating that the sidelink cannot be maintained any longer due to the RLF); ¶ 284, When the RLF is detected, the vehicle terminal 702 may perform at least one of the following operations; ¶ 285, The terminal may release the UE-UE V2X sidelink connection without a separate procedure. Here, the terminal may release all DRBs and SRBs related to a unicast link (or destination) in which the RLF is detected and may release SL UE context related to the unicast link in which the RLF is detected; ¶ 284, When transmitting the DIRECT_COMMUNICATION_RELEASE message…the different vehicle terminal 702 may release the UE-UE sidelink; ¶ 239, the vehicle terminal 701 may perform an upper-layer connection establishment procedure and/or an AS-layer connection establishment procedure in order to establish a UE-UE sidelink connection with the different vehicle terminal 702 in operation 710).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Jung’s teachings with Jung’s one or more other embodiments’ teachings. The motivation is managing a sidelink in an efficient and improved manner when NR V2X SL unicast communication is performed (Jung ¶ 12).
Although Jung teaches an indication that the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device has been released at an upper layer, Jung does not explicitly disclose receive, at an access stratum layer, an indication from an upper layer that the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device has been released at the upper layer.
Kim in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches receive, at an access stratum layer, an indication from an upper layer that a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device has been released at the upper layer (¶ 147, a lower layer such as an AS layer; ¶ 159, the upper layer (e.g., ProSe layer) generates a PC5 signaling message (e.g., Direct Communication Release message) for performing the direct link release procedure in the PC5 signaling message and then transmits the generated PC5 signaling message to the lower layer; ¶ 146, direct link between the remote and relay UEs; ¶ 168, UE 100 may be connected to the external device…wirelessly). By modifying Jung’s teachings of an indication that the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device has been released at an upper layer with Kim’s teachings of receive, at an access stratum layer, an indication from an upper layer that a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device has been released at the upper layer, the modification results in receive, at an access stratum layer, an indication from an upper layer that the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device has been released at the upper layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Jung’s teachings with Kim’s above teachings. The motivation is improving communication efficiency in a D2D direct communication environment (Kim ¶ 1). Known work in one field of endeavor (Kim prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (improving communication efficiency in a D2D direct communication environment) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Although Jung teaches release the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on the indication from the upper layer, the combination does not explicitly disclose release a radio resource control connection of the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on the indication from the upper layer.
Chang in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches release a radio resource control connection of a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device (¶ 163, UE releases…the D2D RRC connection; ¶ 113, UE 1010 is connected to the UE 1015 via a D2D RRC connection 1000… allocate radio resources for the D2D RRC connection 1000). By modifying Jung’s teachings of release the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on the indication from the upper layer with Chang’s teachings of release a radio resource control connection of a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device, the modification results in release a radio resource control connection of the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on the indication from the upper layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Chang’s above teachings. The motivation is supporting a state transition of a device, for D2D communication in a wireless communication system (Chang ¶ 2). Known work in one field of endeavor (Chang prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (supporting a state transition of a device, for D2D communication in a wireless communication system) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Claims 1 and 9 recite similar limitations of claim 17 and are thus rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 18, the combination teaches he wireless device of claim 17, wherein the upper layer comprises a non-access stratum layer (Jung ¶ 286, NAS layer).
Claims 2 and 10 recite similar limitations of claim 18 and are thus rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: performing access stratum radio link monitoring for the unicast sidelink wireless connection (Kim ¶ 8, measuring, at the lower layer, reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ); ¶ 150, If the measured RSRP value is equal to or higher than a threshold, that is, if the condition for using radio resources for direct communication is not satisfied, the remote UE should stop using the radio resources; ¶ 159, when the upper layer of the remote UE receives, from the lower layer, the information indicating that the measured RSRP/RSRQ value does not satisfy the predetermined condition (that is, the measured value is equal to or higher than the threshold), the upper layer (e.g., ProSe layer) generates a PC5 signaling message (e.g., Direct Communication Release message) for performing the direct link release procedure; ¶ 147, a lower layer such as an AS layer; ¶ 146, direct link between the remote and relay UEs; ¶ 168, UE 100 may be connected to the external device…wirelessly; Jung ¶ 239, the vehicle terminal 701 may perform an upper-layer connection establishment procedure and/or an AS-layer connection establishment procedure in order to establish a UE-UE sidelink connection with the different vehicle terminal 702 in operation 710. The UE-UE sidelink connection may be established according to the foregoing embodiment; ¶ 21, FIG. 7 illustrates radio link monitoring (RLM)-based sidelink management when NR V2X SL unicast communication between terminals is performed).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Kim’s teachings of performing access stratum radio link monitoring for a sidelink wireless connection. The motivation is improving communication efficiency in a D2D direct communication environment (Kim ¶ 1).
Regarding claim 15, the combination teaches the processor of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to (Jung ¶ 396, controller 1040 may include a multi-connection processor 1042 and may control overall operations of the UE; fig. 7, shows vehicle terminal 702): perform access stratum radio resource management for the unicast sidelink wireless connection (Kim ¶ 8, measuring, at the lower layer, reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ); ¶ 150, If the measured RSRP value is equal to or higher than a threshold, that is, if the condition for using radio resources for direct communication is not satisfied, the remote UE should stop using the radio resources; ¶ 159, when the upper layer of the remote UE receives, from the lower layer, the information indicating that the measured RSRP/RSRQ value does not satisfy the predetermined condition (that is, the measured value is equal to or higher than the threshold), the upper layer (e.g., ProSe layer) generates a PC5 signaling message (e.g., Direct Communication Release message) for performing the direct link release procedure; ¶ 147, a lower layer such as an AS layer; ¶ 146, direct link between the remote and relay UEs; ¶ 168, UE 100 may be connected to the external device…wirelessly; Jung ¶ 239, the vehicle terminal 701 may perform an upper-layer connection establishment procedure and/or an AS-layer connection establishment procedure in order to establish a UE-UE sidelink connection with the different vehicle terminal 702 in operation 710. The UE-UE sidelink connection may be established according to the foregoing embodiment; ¶ 21, FIG. 7 illustrates radio link monitoring (RLM)-based sidelink management when NR V2X SL unicast communication between terminals is performed).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Kim’s teachings of performing access stratum radio resource management for a sidelink wireless connection. The motivation is improving communication efficiency in a D2D direct communication environment (Kim ¶ 1).
Claim(s) 4, 11, 14, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung and Kim and Chang and in further view of US 20180054237 by Tseng et al. (hereinafter Tseng) (IDS filed 1/12/24).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches the method of claim 3.
Although the combination teaches performing the access stratum radio link monitoring for the unicast sidelink wireless connection, the unicast sidelink wireless connection and the neighboring wireless device, the combination does not explicitly disclose determining a radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection based on sidelink reference signals provided by the neighboring wireless device.
Tseng in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches determining a radio link quality of a sidelink wireless connection based on sidelink reference signals provided by a neighboring wireless device (¶ 65, remote UE 206 may measure Sidelink-Reference Signal Received Power (S-RSRP), Sidelink-Received Signal Strength Indicator (S-RSSI), and Sidelink-Reference Signal Received Quality (S-RSRQ) by detecting a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS); ¶ 68, a relay UE (e.g., relay UE 204) may broadcast an SL-sync subframe periodically…The SL-sync subframe includes SLSS, DMRS and PSBCH (Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel)). By modifying the combination’s teachings of the unicast sidelink wireless connection and the neighboring wireless device with Tseng’s teachings of determining a radio link quality of a sidelink wireless connection based on sidelink reference signals provided by a neighboring wireless device, the modification results in determining a radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection based on sidelink reference signals provided by the neighboring wireless device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Tseng’s above teachings. The motivation is satisfying a need in the art for relay network slice and RAN profile provisioning procedures and radio access mechanisms for relay services (Tseng ¶ 4). Known work in one field of endeavor (Tseng prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (satisfying a need in the art for relay network slice and RAN profile provisioning procedures and radio access mechanisms for relay services) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 14, the combination teaches the processor of claim 9.
Although the combination teaches the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to and the unicast sidelink wireless connection and a non-access stratum layer of the wireless device (Jung ¶ 286, NAS layer; ¶ 167, the upper layer of the vehicle terminal; ¶ 158, UE may be the vehicle terminal), the combination does not explicitly disclose the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection to a non-access stratum layer of the wireless device.
Tseng in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of a sidelink wireless connection (¶ 88, node 800 may have various configurations and may be included or be part of a base station and/or a UE; ¶ 93, memory 828 may store computer-readable, computer-executable instructions 832 (e.g., software codes) that are configured to, when executed, cause processor 826 to perform various functions described herein; ¶ 65, remote UE 206 may measure Sidelink-Reference Signal Received Power (S-RSRP), Sidelink-Received Signal Strength Indicator (S-RSSI), and Sidelink-Reference Signal Received Quality (S-RSRQ) by detecting a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS); ¶ 68, a relay UE (e.g., relay UE 204) may broadcast an SL-sync subframe periodically…The SL-sync subframe includes SLSS, DMRS and PSBCH (Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel)). By modifying the combination’s teachings of the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to and the unicast sidelink wireless connection with Tseng’s teachings of a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of a sidelink wireless connection, the modification results in the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Tseng’s above teachings. The motivation is satisfying a need in the art for relay network slice and RAN profile provisioning procedures and radio access mechanisms for relay services (Tseng ¶ 4). Known work in one field of endeavor (Tseng prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (satisfying a need in the art for relay network slice and RAN profile provisioning procedures and radio access mechanisms for relay services) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Although the combination teaches the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection and a non-access stratum layer of the wireless device (Jung ¶ 286, NAS layer; ¶ 167, the upper layer of the vehicle terminal; ¶ 158, UE may be the vehicle terminal), the combination does not explicitly disclose the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection to a non-access stratum layer of the wireless device.
Kim in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches provide indications of changes in radio link quality to a non-access stratum layer of a wireless device (¶ 154, if the information indicating that the RSRP (or RSRQ) value is equal to or higher than the threshold is received from the lower layer…remote UE starts the prescribed timer and then waits for the RSRP (or RSRQ) value to become lower than the threshold again during the corresponding time period; ¶ 150, a lower layer of the remote UE should inform the upper layer of the fact that the measured RSRP value is equal to or higher than the threshold. Of course, when the measured RSRP value is lower than the threshold, the lower layer should inform the upper layer of it; ¶ 8, measuring, at the lower layer, reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ); ¶ 148, the upper layer (in particular, NAS and Prose layers)). By modifying the combination’s teachings of the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection and a non-access stratum layer of the wireless device with Kim’s teachings of provide indications of changes in radio link quality to a non-access stratum layer of a wireless device, the modification results in the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide indications of changes in radio link quality of the unicast sidelink wireless connection to a non-access stratum layer of the wireless device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Kim’s above teachings. The motivation is improving communication efficiency in a D2D direct communication environment (Kim ¶ 1).
Regarding claim 19, the combination teaches the wireless device of claim 17.
Although the combination teaches the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to and the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device, the combination does not explicitly disclose the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide sidelink reference signals for the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device.
Tseng in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to provide sidelink reference signals for a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device (¶ 88, node 800 may have various configurations and may be included or be part of a base station and/or a UE; ¶ 93, memory 828 may store computer-readable, computer-executable instructions 832 (e.g., software codes) that are configured to, when executed, cause processor 826 to perform various functions described herein; ¶ 65, remote UE 206 may measure Sidelink-Reference Signal Received Power (S-RSRP), Sidelink-Received Signal Strength Indicator (S-RSSI), and Sidelink-Reference Signal Received Quality (S-RSRQ) by detecting a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS); ¶ 68, a relay UE (e.g., relay UE 204) may broadcast an SL-sync subframe periodically…The SL-sync subframe includes SLSS, DMRS and PSBCH (Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel)). By modifying the combination’s teachings of the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to and the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device with Tseng’s teachings of a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to provide sidelink reference signals for a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device, the modifying results in the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: provide sidelink reference signals for the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Tseng’s above teachings. The motivation is satisfying a need in the art for relay network slice and RAN profile provisioning procedures and radio access mechanisms for relay services (Tseng ¶ 4). Known work in one field of endeavor (Tseng prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (satisfying a need in the art for relay network slice and RAN profile provisioning procedures and radio access mechanisms for relay services) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 11 recite similar limitations of claim 19 and is thus rejected under similar rationale.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung and Kim and Chang and in further view of US 20240237121 by Liang et al. (hereinafter Liang).
Regarding claim 13, the combination teaches the processor of claim 9.
Although the combination teaches the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to and the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless, the combination does not explicitly disclose the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: stop providing sidelink reference signals for the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device after radio link failure of the unicast sidelink wireless connection is declared.
Liang in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to: stop providing sidelink reference signals for a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device after radio link failure of the sidelink wireless connection is declared (¶ 66, Step 31: The transmit end sends the first reference signal to a receive end through the sidelink; ¶ 68, Step 33…if no, determine that link failure occurs on the sidelink; fig. 3, shows after s33, no transmission of any sidelink reference signals for the sidelink by the transmit end with the receive end; ¶ 64, The terminal is a transmit end; ¶ 62, the receive end terminal; ¶ 3, a sidelink, also referred to as a side link, a sidelink, a sidelink, or the like, is used for direct transmission between terminals; ¶ 229, terminal may be a wireless terminal; ¶ 13, terminal includes a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and running on the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, steps of the foregoing method for detecting link failure of a sidelink are implemented). By modifying the combination’s teachings of the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to and the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless with Liang’s teachings of a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to: stop providing sidelink reference signals for a sidelink wireless connection with a neighboring wireless device after radio link failure of the sidelink wireless connection is declared, the modification results in the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: stop providing sidelink reference signals for the unicast sidelink wireless connection with the neighboring wireless device after radio link failure of the unicast sidelink wireless connection is declared.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art /before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Liang’s above teachings. The motivation is improving sidelink transmission performance and reducing radio resources (Liang ¶ 140). Known work in one field of endeavor (Liang prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (improving sidelink transmission performance and reducing radio resources) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung and Kim and Chang and in further view of US 20200145867 by Tseng et al. (hereinafter Cheng) (IDS filed 1/12/24).
Regarding claim 20, the combination teaches the wireless device of claim 17.
Although the combination teaches the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to, the unicast sidelink wireless connection, and the neighboring wireless device, the combination does not explicitly disclose the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: receive an indication to reconfigure the unicast sidelink wireless connection from the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on a radio resource management measurement report transmitted by the wireless device.
Cheng in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to: receive an indication to reconfigure a unicast sidelink wireless connection from a neighboring wireless device based at least in part on a radio resource management measurement report transmitted by the wireless device (fig. 2, step 240 shows UE 210 sending a SL measurement report to UE 220 and step 270 shows after receiving a SL measurement report, UE 210 performing SL-TxParameter adaptation between UE 210 and UE 220; ¶ 113, trigger an SL-TxParameters adaptation after determining that the second and third SL-measurement reports from the UEs 920 and 930, respectively, in the SL-Group are received…After adjusting the transmission parameters for the sidelink group in action 965, the UE 910 may transmit an SL-congestion control message (e.g., through unicasting or group-casting in (LTE/NR) PC5 interface) to the UEs 920 and 930 in the SL-Group in actions 970 and 975, respectively, to instruct the UEs in the SL-Group to adapt their SL-TxParameters; fig. 12; ¶ 127-132; ¶ 61, both of the UEs in the SL-unicast communication). By modifying the combination’s teachings of the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to, the unicast sidelink wireless connection, and the neighboring wireless device with Cheng’s teachings of a processor is configured to cause a wireless device to: receive an indication to reconfigure a unicast sidelink wireless connection from a neighboring wireless device based at least in part on a radio resource management measurement report transmitted by the wireless device, the modification results in the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to: receive an indication to reconfigure the unicast sidelink wireless connection from the neighboring wireless device based at least in part on a radio resource management measurement report transmitted by the wireless device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination with Cheng’s above teachings. The motivation is helping to adjust sidelink transmission parameters in a more robust way (Cheng ¶ 61). Known work in one field of endeavor (Cheng prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one (Jung prior art) based on design incentives (helping to adjust sidelink transmission parameters in a more robust way) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 5-8, and 12 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 16 would be allowable if Applicant files a terminal disclaimer to overcome the double patenting rejection, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20180332523 discloses an upper layer (e.g., NAS layer) of the UE may indicate to a lower layer (e.g., AS layer) to release a signaling connection.
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/PETER P CHAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476